TSA and Secondary Searches

This is a discussion on TSA and Secondary Searches within the Concealed Carry Issues & Discussions forums, part of the Defensive Carry Discussions category; I've transported a firearm in checked luggage a couple times on several different airlines. Had a problem once, but the airline rectified it in the ...

TSA and Secondary Searches

I've transported a firearm in checked luggage a couple times on several different airlines. Had a problem once, but the airline rectified it in the end. I was talking to a Buddy who is a LEO, and we have different impressions about what can happen to my bag after it leaves my posession. My understanding was that once I declared the firearm, had it inspected by the gate agent, locked it up, and waited while the bag went through the TSA checkpoint, that no one besides me was authorized to open the bag. Hence the reason I am required to wait at the TSA check point until the bag clears. My LEO buddy insists there are secondary TSA searches further down the pipeline. Thoughts?

In my experience, the bag itself is not required to be locked up. You could use a TSA lock.

The firearm case inside the bag MUST be locked, and only you have the key. You do not use TSA locks on it.

This just results in your firearm case be stolen. What you want to do is treat your luggage itself AS the firearm case. That means firearm + whatever else you want to pack in one single hardened container. This container is locked with a non-TSA lock. The bigger the case, the better the chance it makes it to the destination.

This just results in your firearm case be stolen. What you want to do is treat your luggage itself AS the firearm case. That means firearm + whatever else you want to pack in one single hardened container. This container is locked with a non-TSA lock. The bigger the case, the better the chance it makes it to the destination.

At the risk of this being a repost, check out - packing all inside a hard case, with your non-TSA lock on the outside.